A hermetically-sealed compressor, usually for air conditioning or refrigeration applications, has a sealed metal housing. A motor and compressor are mounted within the housing. The electrical power to the motor is connected through a known header sometimes referred to as a glass-to-metal seal.
The header is in the form of a cup-shaped metal support having three holes. A pin is mounted in each of the three holes and is mechanically supported in the cup-shaped element by glass which is bonded to both the pin and the metallic element.
Within the compressor, the three leads to the motor are terminated in connector clips each having a receptacle that slides down upon the pin. The three clips are mounted in a cluster block having three parallel passageways through which the connector clips and leads pass. The clips are equiangularly arrayed in a position to be pushed upon the three pins of the header, thereby forming the electrical connection between the motor and the header pins.
In the operation of the compressor, a problem of arcing between pins has been observed. That arcing can be of such magnitude as to destroy the header, thus rendering the whole compressor useless. This has been observed particularly in connection with the scroll compressor and is believed to arise out of the drawing of a vacuum within the compressor at startup, the vacuum tending to promote arcing between pins.